West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has strongly condemned a significant error in a NITI Aayog report, where the map of Bihar was mistakenly used to represent the state of West Bengal. In a sharply worded letter addressed to NITI Aayog Vice Chairperson Shri Suman K. Bery, Banerjee called the mistake an "affront to the identity and dignity" of West Bengal, raising questions about the credibility of the institution’s publications.
The controversy stems from NITI Aayog’s “Summary Report for the State of West Bengal," published on their official website. The document, intended to outline key development metrics for West Bengal, erroneously featured a map of Bihar in place of the state it was meant to represent. The error has sparked widespread criticism, with many viewing it as a reflection of negligence by the premier national think tank.
In her letter, Banerjee wrote, “Such a blunder in an official publication of NITI Aayog, reflects an alarming lack of diligence and respect towards the States of the Union”, questioning the reliability of NITI Aayog’s work, which is relied upon by policymakers and citizens for informed decision-making.
The Chief Minister’s letter also demanded immediate action from NITI Aayog, stating, “This raises legitimate concerns about the rigour and reliability of the institution's work… and calls upon NITI Aayog to issue a clarification and apology and take immediate corrective action to rectify the document and to institute robust mechanisms to prevent such lapses in future.”
The map error has fuelled political tensions, with Banerjee and her party, the Trinamool Congress (TMC), accusing the central government of bias against West Bengal. TMC leaders have taken to social media to amplify the issue, with some describing the mistake as a deliberate insult rather than an innocent oversight. The controversy comes at a time when Banerjee has previously voiced concerns about NITI Aayog’s functioning, even calling for its dissolution in favour of reinstating the Planning Commission.
NITI Aayog, established in 2015 to replace the Planning Commission, serves as the Government of India’s primary policy think tank, tasked with fostering cooperative federalism and providing data-driven insights for development. The error in the West Bengal report is not an isolated incident of criticism for NITI Aayog. Earlier reports, such as the Fiscal Health Index 2025, have drawn scrutiny for ranking West Bengal among the lowest-performing states in fiscal management, a portrayal that the state government has consistently disputed. The map blunder has only intensified these tensions, with Banerjee’s letter underscoring broader concerns about the institution’s accuracy and impartiality. As of now, NITI Aayog has not issued a public response to the Chief Minister’s letter or the map error.
This comes months ahead of the much hyped West Bengal Election 2026, where its presumed that the ‘Bengali Asmita’ or identity politics may play a crucial role in political discourse similar to the previous 2021 assembly election in which TMC came back to power for the third term with a thumping majority, riding on the Bengali pride sentiment. TMC has accused BJP as a party with little understanding of the state culture and legacy, labelled them as outsiders. The NITI Aayog’s blunder has given further ammunition to Banerjee and her party.
